Ritual makes some menu changes

The month of December is flying by, but diners still have time to cash in on some of the special promotions at Ritual, 281 Main St., Worcester.

For starters, if you attend an event at The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, Mechanics Hall, or the DCU Center, all in Worcester, show your ticket stub to receive a free appetizer or dessert at Ritual. The offer is good through Dec. 30.

The restaurant will give diners a choice of a “surprise gift” when they bring in an unwrapped toy in December. The toys will be donated to Why Me & Sherry’s House, a Worcester-based nonprofit organization created to help Central New England families cope with childhood cancer.

Ritual opened in February 2011 with three owners. Russ Watson, an original owner, has operated the business with his wife, Melissa, since February 2012.

There have been many changes in the operation since the couple took over. New wait staff has been added, the menu has changed, and prices have been lowered, according to Melissa Watson. “We listened to customers, and we are working very hard to accommodate their requests,” she said. “Service is a priority.”

Mark Lauzon now heads the wait staff and does training. He previously worked at other local restaurants.

Sean McCabe, chef at Ritual, said the dining is considered eclectic, with innovative American influences.

The Chocolate Bacon on the Mezze/Appetizers section of the menu always is a big hit with diners, according to the chef. A Flat Iron Steak, smothered in mushroom and caramelized onions with smashed Yukon potatoes, is among the new dishes. Pasta dishes and pizza also have been added.

“There is variety and value in the new menu,” said Watson. “Quality of dishes is consistent.”

Ritual recently began offering a lunch buffet from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Cost is $9.95 per person, including a beverage. Buffet items change regularly, according to the chef.

Restaurant hours: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 4 to 11 p.m. Saturdays. The restaurant is closed Sundays and Mondays, but will open for private parties and functions. Seating in the dining room and bar is 145.

“Management and the chef are happy to work with customers, customizing menus to meet specific budgets,” said Watson. “We are very open to prix fixe menus.”

Light appetizers will be served, and there will be discount pricing on the night of the event.

Bring a new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots.

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MassGrown has announced that the Winter Farmers Market season is in full swing with 40 market sites located throughout the state.

The markets feature Massachusetts grown and produced products such as eggs, produce, cheese, meat, wine, bread, baked goods and confectioneries.

Visit www.mass.gov/agr/massgrown/farmers_markets.htm for a list of winter markets, which includes The Worcester Winter Farmers Market, 9 Mann St., Beaver Brook Park Building, open from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sundays.

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New England Coffee recently launched a “holiday grind” online store promotion that will last through Dec. 31.

The splash page site is www.newenglandcoffee.com/holiday. Shoppers simply select their coffee of choice and put it through the interactive coffee grinder, which provides four grinding options, including “Shipping is a Drag,” “Bargain is my Jargon,” “Swag is my Bag” and “Surprise Me.”

Based on the grind selection, customers will receive free products, or $1 shipping.

Try it out!

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“Desserts in Jars: 50 Sweet Treats that Shine” (Harvard Common Press, $16.95) by Shaina Olmanson is a holiday gift idea for anyone who loves to bake.

Mix together 2 cups all- purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon in a bowl. Place in a 1-quart jar. Top with a layer of 1/2 cup cinnamon chips. Note: Hershey’s is a common brand of cinnamon chips.

Mix together 1 cup sugar and vanilla bean seeds scraped from one vanilla bean pod and add as a layer in the jar. Top with 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Makes 1 jar of cake mix, to yield one 9-inch-square cake. Seal with the lid, decorate the jar, if you like, and attach a label with these instructions for the recipient:

To Make Cinnamon Coffee Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch square, baking pan. Mix together 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, 2 large eggs and 1 cup sour cream or Greek-style yogurt in a large bowl until well blended. Stir in all the contents of the jar, then slowly stir in 1/4 cup whole milk. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Serve warm.

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The annual Gingerbread Castle Competition at Higgins Armory, 100 Barber Ave., Worcester, will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 15.

The contest attracts professional and amateur bakers who compete for titles in their respective divisions. Museum guests help decide the winners.

Admission: $12 for adults; $7 for children ages 4 to 16; free for children 3 and younger.

“Over the last couple of years we’ve seen some pretty amazing creations entered into our contests,” said Suzanne Maas, Higgins’ interim director. “Every year, we try to come up with something new for the competition. With the addition of the judges’ panel, we expect the jousting to be even fiercer this year.”

The museum’s Great Hall will be the staging area for the competition, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Competition will be divided into two divisions: professional and amateur, with the winners being decided by a combination of visitor votes and judges’ selection.

I am on the judges’ panel with John Lawrence, executive chef/owner of Pepper’s Fine Catering in Northboro, and Janet Amorello, vice president of marketing at UniBank. We look forward to the competition.

A holiday sandwich idea: Toast 1 Thomas Cranberry Bagel; place 3 slices turkey on bottom half of bagel. Spoon 1/4 cup stuffing and “smother” in 1 tablespoon of gravy. Place 1 small bunch of arugula on top of stuffing and replace other half of the bagel.

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A diner commented to me that she and a companion recently went to a well-known steakhouse (in the suburbs) for dinner.

“Of course, we both ordered steaks because the place is known for them,” she said.

The short version of the story is that the diner’s steak was so rare she couldn’t eat it. “The mashed potatoes on the plate turned red,” she said.

Ugh!

The restaurant was busy, and the diner said she was unable to flag anyone down. When she finally told the waitress she couldn’t eat the meal because the meat was “raw,” the waitress said, “I’ll wrap the steak up, and you can cook it at home.”

I don’t know about you, but if I wanted to cook a steak, I would have stayed home rather than opting to eat out.

And, no complimentary slice of cake would have made me a happy diner.

In fact, last weekend I was among the “not so happy” diners.

Joined five friends for dinner at a small, new ethnic restaurant in the city. We ordered four “specialty” appetizers for tasting and waited 45 minutes (I’m being kind) to be served. The apps arrived cold, and we were told the oven in the kitchen wasn’t working “right.”

Dinner took more time, and my entrée, short ribs, should have been reheated. I didn’t warm up to the cold rice, either.

The place is BYOB, so by this time you have to know the wine corks were popping.

The chef/owner owner came over to the table to apologize and told us she was the only one in the kitchen. Good thing the place wasn’t filled to capacity.

I’ll end it there.

If you have a tidbit for this column, call (508) 868-5282. Send email to bhoulefood@gmail.com.

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